Overview
- A Tuesday agreement between the United States and Iran set a two-week pause in fighting tied to Tehran temporarily reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with President Trump saying he would halt strikes during the window.
- Pakistan is the public go-between and will host initial U.S.–Iran talks in Islamabad on Friday, April 10, to try to turn the pause into a broader settlement.
- Trump said he believed China helped bring Iran to the table, and multiple reports describe Beijing working through Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt as Foreign Minister Wang Yi made 26 calls and a special envoy shuttled in the region.
- China publicly welcomed the ceasefire and, alongside Russia, vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that urged coordinated protection of commercial shipping in the strait.
- China’s push reflects its need to keep oil moving through Hormuz, which carries about one-fifth of global supply, and the reopening could give shippers and consumers short-term relief if the corridor stays open.